Morse Code Translator
Translate text to Morse code and Morse code back to text. Free and in-browser.
How to use the Morse Code Translator
- 1Pick a direction: Text to Morse to encode words, or Morse to Text to decode dots and dashes.
- 2Type or paste into the input box, plain words when encoding, or dots, dashes, spaces, and slashes when decoding.
- 3Read the result box, which updates live as you type, so there is no submit button to press.
- 4When entering Morse, put one space between letters and a slash (/) between words so word gaps survive decoding.
- 5Use Copy to lift the converted result, or Clear to empty both boxes and start fresh.
- 6If a sound or play control is present, toggle it to hear the dots and dashes as short and long beeps.
About the Morse Code Translator
The Morse Code Translator turns typed or pasted text into International Morse Code and converts strings of dots and dashes back into readable letters. Type "SOS" and it returns "... --- ...", mapping each character through the standard dot-and-dash table as you type. Flip the direction and paste "... --- ..." to recover "SOS". Everything runs as JavaScript in your own browser tab: the conversion is a lookup table and a short parser executing on your device, so nothing you enter is uploaded, logged, or sent anywhere. Close the tab and the text is gone.
For encoding, each character is uppercased (Morse has no case) and swapped for its sequence. Letters are separated by one space and words by a forward slash (/), which keeps the output unambiguous when you decode it. Decoding reverses this: it splits on single spaces to isolate each letter group, splits on the slash to rebuild word gaps, and marks any group that matches no valid character. It covers A-Z, digits 0-9, and common punctuation including period, comma, question mark, slash, and apostrophe.
Who actually reaches for it: ham radio operators and CW learners checking that a call sign or message copies correctly; Scout leaders and teachers setting badge tasks and classroom puzzles; escape-room and puzzle-hunt designers encoding clues and verifying them before printing; and people translating a name or short phrase for engravings, jewelry, or tattoos who want the spacing right before it becomes permanent.
Two habits keep your Morse clean: use exactly one space between letters and a slash between words, and never string dots and dashes together without gaps. If a decode fails, look for a group longer than five symbols or one carrying a stray character, since that is what triggers the error marker. To practice, encode a word, then paste your own output back and confirm it round-trips. Because it is fully client-side, the translator keeps working after the page has loaded even with your connection off, which is useful when you are practicing signaling by light or sound away from a network.
Frequently asked questions
How do I separate letters and words in Morse input?
Put one space between each letter's dot-dash group and a forward slash (/) between words. For example, HI THERE is '.... .. / - .... . .-. .'. Drop the spacing and the decoder cannot tell where one letter ends and the next begins, so it returns a run of errors.
Is this International or American Morse code?
International Morse Code, the standard still used in amateur radio and aviation. American (Railroad) Morse, an older variant with different letter timings and a few unique symbols, is not supported, so codes copied from historical telegraph records may not decode correctly here.
Which characters does it handle?
A-Z, digits 0-9, and common punctuation: period, comma, question mark, slash, and apostrophe. Morse is case-insensitive, so 'sos' and 'SOS' encode identically. Emoji, accented letters, and other symbols have no standard Morse equivalent and are skipped or flagged rather than guessed.
Does my text get sent to a server?
No. The translator is a lookup table and parser running in JavaScript inside your browser tab. Your text is never uploaded, logged, or stored. Once the page has loaded you can go offline and it keeps converting, which is why it works in low-signal field conditions.
Why is part of my decoded text showing an error marker?
A symbol group matched no valid Morse character, usually an extra dot or dash, a stray character, or missing spacing between letters. Check that each group is five symbols or fewer and contains only dots and dashes, then confirm you left exactly one space between letters and a slash between words.
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Frequently asked questions
How is Morse formatted?+
Letters are separated by spaces and words by ' / ', the common convention.